Compare towns
Appleton vs Orland vs Sidney vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Newburgh has the most renters (18.8% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Appleton | Orland | Sidney | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,915 |
4,790Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Orland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Orland and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Sidney and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Sidney and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.